CTAP supports per axle weight limit under RA 8794

THE Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines (CTAP) is pushing for the imposition of the per axle weight limit and not the maximum allowable weight under Republic Act 8794 or the No Overloading Law.

RA 8794 will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) beginning February initially using the 13.5 ton per axle limit and by May 1, the maximum allowable weight.

CTAP president Ruperto Bayocot told PortCalls the plan to apply the maximum allowable weight will force small- and medium-sized truck operators to close down.

It "will further reduce the allowed weight below the 13.5 ton per axle limit as it will factor in the weight of the truck itself, disallowing truckers to carry containers even if such is well within the 13.5 ton per axle limit allowed by law."

Bayocot added, "The per axle limit is already being applied at the North Luzon Expressway and we are asking the DPWH to just adopt it otherwise this will bleed the trucking industry dry, particularly the smaller ones. As it is, the 13.5 ton per axle rule is already a tough pill to swallow because it bars the back-to-back or tandem scheme of carrying containers, but this is something truckers are willing to take."

Under the 13.5 ton per axle limit, a regular truck — say, a 10- or 18-wheeler — is allowed to carry up to 41 tons, including the weight of the unit or triple the allowable load limit set by law.

Under the maximum allowable weight rule, a 10-wheeler truck can only carry up to 16 tons; an 18-wheeler, 33 tons; and 24-wheeler, 51 tons.

The DPWH is keen to implement RA 8794, saying overloaded trucks is one of the key causes of constant road wear and tear costing the agency billions of pesos in road repairs each year.

The agency is looking to conduct another consultation with stakeholders before the law is implemented.

Earlier, the Alliance of Concerned Truckers and Other Operators threatened to conduct a transport holiday if DPWH pushes through with the law’s adoption.